Partition coefficient calculation of selected terpenes and low molecular weight solvents between tall oil fatty acid and air and polydimethyl siloxane oil and air

Headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been applied to the analysis of the temperature-dependent tall oil fatty acid (TOFA)/air partition coefficient (k(1)) and the polydimethyl siloxane oil/air partition coefficient (k(2)) of selected terpenes and low molecular weight solvents. As expected, both the TOFA and the silicone oil are effective trapping media for the nonpolar terpenes, but they are also efficient traps for acetone, methanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol. However, several species of low and moderate molecular weight (less than 150 amu) aldehydes, ketones, and organic acids that might adversely affect its trapping capacity were detected in the TOFA. This article will report the empirically gathered data and the subsequent calculation of the partition coefficients for the terpenes: alpha- and beta-pinene, limonene, and alpha-terpineol and the solvents: acetone, methanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol between 50 and 130 degrees C.